Automation in Hospitality & Tourism: How Technology is Transforming the Industry - Essay Sample

Introduction

Automation has been defined by many people as an approach that involves the use of technology to make modern machines help in reducing operational workload in all aspects of life. Through automation, operations and systems can run without or with minimal human power. The process of automation resulted from technological advancement in the world. The widespread adoption of new technologies in the hospitality and tourism industry has significantly influenced the ways in hotels and guest houses to provide services to their esteemed customers; therefore, improving performances and outcomes. Developed countries have massive technological advancements that include automating services, artificial intelligence, and robotics (Alexis, 2017). The results of technological advancements have entered the hospitality, travel, and tourism sectors to improve service delivery to their guest.

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Automation has also improved the quality of products produced in the hospitality and tourism industry due to improved operations and productivity. The implementation and adoption of automation strategy in the hospitality and tourism industry have been supported by many scholars in the field of business but information from influential researchers are scarce (Davari, 2011). This paper provides comprehensive information on the importance of automation in the hospitality and tourism sector based on the evidence in the provided in the credible sources. The impacts of automation will also be discussed because some researchers have hypothesized on the negative implications of automation on the economy of a country. The perception of employees on automation will also be evaluated to its efficacy and operation in the hospitality and tourism industry. Most of the employees working in the hospitality and tourism industry oppose the adoption of automation because it takes their jobs (Davari, 2011).

A Brief History of Automation in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry

The history of automation is traced back to the invention of control systems in physics (Kirkpatrick, 2017). The concepts of control systems have been improved to provide essential services in industrial sectors. The determination of the reliability and predictability of automation in the hospitality and tourism industry is important. One of the control system that resulted in automation id the SCADA supervisory control that was invented in the 1920s. In the SCADA, high voltage substations were constructed in adjacent positions to the power plant for easy monitoring in the control room.

The SCADA system performed various important operations including monitoring of alarms, supervision of larger geographical areas, and processing of status data. In the early 1700s, the greatest scientist called Antione Ferchault invented proposed some important concepts for the invention of automatic devices that can provide feedback especially in the control systems (Fuei, 2017). In 1745, another scientist called James Watt's invented a proportional control for throttle. In the early 1900s, the use of remote cabinets and relays in remote rooms were introduced into practice. The invention of control cabinet and relay systems contributed to the introduction of monitor recorders and switches; therefore, improving operations in most of the industrial operations.

Another important event in the history of automation in the world is the invention of "negative feedback" concepts that were later incorporated into the modern design control systems and the control theory. The "negative feedback" concept was introduced in 1932 after many countries in Europe and Northern America had undergone an industrial revolution. Many scholars have mentioned that the desire to achieve rapid economic growth in the country necessitates for automation of heavy tasks in the industrial sector. In the 1950s, numerical controls system was designed with punched tape paper to automate machine tools (GICSP, Assante & Conway, 2014). A significant invention occurred in 1959 when a distributed control was introduced in the industrial sector to monitor all operations in a large industrial facility; therefore, reducing human labor in supervision and maintenance of operational tools.

There were no invention or innovation of concepts in the field of automation and mechanization. In 1971, a Bulletin 1774 PLC called "Programmable Logic Controller was invented by Allen- Bradley. After the designation of PLC, Modbus also introduced another unique type of Bulletin that enabled PLCs to communicate with one another (Jones, 2004). In 1976, remote I/0 was introduced; therefore, leading to remote sensing used in various industrial and commercial activities.

After the introduction of the modern computer systems in the world, PLC was linked to PCs in 1986. Linking of PLCs to PCs resulted in the rapid completion of operations; therefore, leading to productivity. In the early 1990s, Fieldbus protocols that included Device Net, Profibus, ControlNet, and Fieldbus Foundation were introduced to improve automation in the industrial sector based on the services provided by the computer systems. Ethernet and IP were invented in 1992 to improve PLCs connectivity and linkage (Kirkpatrick, 2017). The recent invention in automation was the introduction of a modern controller designed with a web server to improve its performances.

A Brief Description of How Automation Is Used in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry

The concepts of automation have been applied in various operations in the hospitality and tourism industries because it offers a lot of strengths towards ensuring reliability and productivity in a particular facility; therefore, ensuring customer satisfaction and positive experiences (Kuo, Huang, Tseng & Boger, 2016). The first approach involving the utilization of automation is the concept of smart intelligence. In the concept of the intelligent room is a form of automation that has been widely applied in the hospitality and tourism sector because of its productivity and reliability ion improving the quality of services delivered to guests and other clients in the sector. The "smart" hotel room involves the use of small units operated by microprocessors to control all essential parameters required for the effective running of a hotel room (Murphy, Hofacker, & Gretzel, 2017). Hospitality and tourism industries incorporate for hotel management and house-keeping practices for effective service delivery to guests.

The alarm system is one of the applications of automation in hospitality and tourism. The automatic alarms are designed to provide maximum security in the guest houses. The security officers and the management of the guest house or hotel install security alarms that are designed to alert other people in cases of danger. The guests occupying the rooms are acknowledged on the presence of automatic alarms set to produce a security alert when a person produces an emergency sound (Kuo, Huang, Tseng & Boger, 2016). Some alarms have been designed in modern hospitality and tourism organizations to sense any form of fire in the room and in the entire house.

The ability to raise a security alert during fire emergencies ensures customer satisfaction in the facility. The automatic alarms also reduce damages normally arise from fire. The second use of automation in the hospitality and tourism industries is the regulation of temperatures in guest rooms. Automatic devices designed to regulate temperature are installed in the rooms to ensure a constant temperature regulation in cases of extreme temperatures. The maintenance of a constant temperature ranges in a room makes customers comfortable and satisfied with the services delivered by the organization.

The current and future implications of automation have been identified to benefit the hospitality and tourism industries. Additionally, automation has been used in designing modern exits and entrances in industrial facilities. Most of the Five Star hotels in developed countries have designed their exits and entrances with the automatic lockers. A central computer is used to monitor the operations of the doors; therefore, improving performances due to efficacy and reliability in the hospitality and tourism sector (Krstinic, Karanovic, & Ivanovic, 2008). Automation has also been used in the lighting control system to improve productivity and reliability in an organization. In this case of automation, the lights are only on when a guest is inside the room and turns off when he/she gets out of the room. Automation of lights the room saves time that could have been used by the guest to put on and off the lights. A critical analysis of the effectiveness of adopting automation in the hospitality and tourism sector offers a lot of importance in the workplace. One of the positive implications offered by automation concepts its energy-saving capabilities.

Identification of an appropriate framework for implementing the automation approach in the workplace is important in ensuring quality future implications of automation in the hospitality and tourism industries. The incorporation of the framework is important in avoiding the resistance posed by employees who resist the adoption of automation in the workplace. Sales Force Automation (SFA) offers an appropriate framework to be used while adopting automation approach in the hospitality and tourism industry (Jones, 2004). The framework applies in the analysis of the potential implications of automation in the hospitality and tourism industry. The adoption of automation concepts raises environmental awareness among all staff and guest in the organization. Lastly, networking has been identified by experts as another future implication of automation in hospitality and tourism management.

Criticism and Concerns of Automation in Hospitality and Tourism Industries

The adoption of the automation practices in hospitality and tourism industries have raised a lot of opinions depending on their perception and experiences (Wajcman, 2017). The interaction of employees from different organizations has resulted in negative attitudes on the employees. First, many people have criticized automation because of the negative impacts of the hospitality and tourism industries. Some of the concerns raised by many people are that automation leads to unemployment. Adoption of automation in the workplace reduces job opportunities by 70% because the one machine can perform various tasks that would have been performed by many people workers.

Automation increases efficacy and rapidness; therefore, the management prefers automation over human labor. The preferences of the management on the automation have made much staff in the hospitality and tourism industries to resist the concepts (Kirkpatrick, 2017). most of the employees working in the hospitality and tourism industries have demonstrated over the introduction and adoption of automation; therefore, affecting productivity and reliability of services delivered to guest and other clients.

Some have also criticized that automation increases energy costs; therefore, becoming uneconomical in the hospitality and tourism industries. Additionally, some researchers have criticized that the organizational level of adopting automation faces limitations because of the dependence on the environmental conditions and operational culture in the hospitality and tourism industries. The SWOT analysis also provides some weaknesses and concerns about adopting automation in the workplace. Computer failure is one of the weaknesses identified from the analysis of the SWOT model (Kuo, Huang, Tseng & Boger, 2016). The devices used in the regulation of temperatures, lights, and alarms depend on the performances of the computer system; therefore, a...